It's not malicious.
We all have a tendency to look for information which confirms preexisting beliefs. When cognitive dissonance arises, we aim to realign our worldviews. Overcoming confirmation bias is a huge step towards making better choices motivated by logic, not emotions. Hanlon’s razor assists with this. If we expect malicious intent, we are likely to attribute it wherever possible. For example, if someone sees a certain politician as corrupt, they will look for information which confirms that. They become unable to identify when mistakes are the result of incompetence or accident.Farnam Street
Several years ago during a yearly one-on-one planning session with my manager, I remember telling him that my career goal was “never to become him”. I got into technology because I enjoyed the work. And what he did was no longer a part of that.
Most companies out there fail to recognize that becoming a manager isn’t a promotion but a career change.Davide Casali
I know that I want to read more. I need to read more. I want to develop new skills and learn more deeply about existing ones. But ... where do I start?
Learning is necessary for our success and personal growth. But we can’t maximize the time we spend learning because our feelings about what we ‘should’ be doing get in the way.Farnam Street
On the art of focusing.
I say “art” for a reason. I see a lot of people out there promoting their “science-based” system for getting a lot done. Let me tell you something: The word science is being used to fool you and trick you. To make you salivate, Pavlov-style. “Science” is not some monolith that tells you how to create really meaningful work. There’s no “science” of success. There’s no “science” of productivity. That’s pure charlatanism.Farnam Street
This next article is also about focus. Actually out of focus.
...In the Comments to the republication of his "What Is Bokeh?" article, émigré to Asia John Kennerdell reports that "in recent years Japanese photo writers have evidently decided they need a cool new loanword instead of 'bokeh,' so one now often sees the fractured English expression 'outo fokasu.'"
So English speakers are using a loanword from Japanese and the Japanese are using a loaner from English! Too funny.the online photographer
The weekly reading list of quotes and links to articles from my RSS feeds that I find thought provoking.
